Martin Shkreli Ordered to Forfeit His Secret Album

The U.S. government became an accidental rap mogul on Monday, winning an order to seize two rare albums from "Pharma Bro" and convicted fraudster Martin Shkreli. (Published Monday, March 5, 2018)

Federal authorities say they are investigating claims that Martin Shkreli has been running his pharmaceutical company from behind bars using a contraband smartphone.

The U.S. Bureau of Prisons told The Associated Press on Friday it has opened an inquiry into whether the man nicknamed the "Pharma Bro" violated prison rules forbidding inmates from conducting business and possessing cellphones.

The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Shkreli has used a cellphone to call the shots at his drug company, Phoenixus AG, posting regularly to social media and even firing the company's chief executive a few weeks ago.

The Bureau of Prisons said federal prisoners caught in possession of cellphones face up to an additional year behind bars if convicted. Shkreli also could face disciplinary sanctions within the prison if he is found to have conducted business.

"Like all correctional agencies, the BOP continues to tackle the problem of contraband being introduced into our facilities, including contraband cell phones," the agency said in a statement to The AP. "The BOP continually evaluates and deploys as appropriate, contraband-detecting technologies, including walk-through metal detectors and whole-body imaging devices."